Safari d'une journée au départ de Ft Lauderdale
Description
Explorez la nature sauvage des Everglades lors d'une aventure d'une journée au départ de Ft Lauderdale. Avec votre Guide naturaliste, faites une palpitante excursion en hydroglisseur dans le parc national des Everglades, observez la faune sauvage lors d'une promenade à travers la réserve nationale Big Cypress, profitez d'une promenade dans la nature à travers une imposante forêt de cyprès, et détendez-vous lors d'une croisière en bateau le long des eaux bordées de mangroves pour voir des lamantins, des dauphins et des balbuzards. Apprenez-en davantage sur les Everglades grâce à votre Guide et déjeunez dans un restaurant au bord de l'eau, où vous pourrez goûter quelques entrées!
Options de l'excursion
Itinéraire
Un écotour le long du Tamiami Trail offre un aperçu vivant du cœur sauvage de la Floride. Les clients voyagent à travers les prairies d'herbes sciées, les marécages de cyprès et les marécages de zones humides, entourés d'imposants cyprès chauves drapés de mousse Espagnole. Les observations de la faune comprennent souvent des alligators d'Amérique, des cerfs de Virginie, des loutres, des tortues et un éventail éblouissant d'oiseaux comme des aigrettes, des spatules, des hérons et des hiboux rayés. La réserve est également riche en plantes rares comme les orchidées fantômes et les plantes aériennes accrochées aux arbres centenaires. Les guides partagent des histoires des tribus Miccosukee et Séminole, du développement précoce de la région et des efforts de conservation qui ont sauvé cet écosystème vital. Chaque saison offre quelque chose de nouveau : oiseaux migrateurs, broméliacées en fleurs ou basses eaux qui révèlent les secrets du marécage. Que ce soit en van, en promenade ou en hydroglisseur, cette visite est une occasion de se connecter avec la nature et d'assister à la beauté intemporelle des Everglades.
Faites le tour de la « Rivière d’herbe » à bord d’un hydroglisseur emblématique à fond plat et parfaitement conçu pour planer sur les zones humides peu profondes des Everglades. Alors que le vent passe et que les oiseaux s'envolent au-dessus de vous, votre capitaine partage des histoires de la terre, de la faune et des traditions transmises de génération en génération. Le voyage mène à une île isolée de mésanges, une plate-forme au toit de chaume construite sur pilotis, où la tribu vivait autrefois en harmonie avec le marais. Entouré de prairies d'herbes sciées et d'un ciel infini, cet arrêt offre une chance rare de découvrir le cœur culturel des Everglades et d'acquérir un aperçu de la résilience et de l'héritage du peuple Miccosukee.
La réserve nationale Big Cypress est un vaste paysage sauvage de plus de 700 000 acres dans le sud de la Floride, juste au nord du parc national des Everglades. Il protège une riche mosaïque de marécages, de pinèdes, de prairies et de hamacs en bois dur qui abritent un large éventail d'animaux sauvages, y compris des alligators, des panthères de Floride, des ours noirs, des cerfs de Virginie et des centaines d'espèces d'oiseaux. Contrairement à un parc national traditionnel, Big Cypress permet de multiples utilisations – chasse, accès aux véhicules hors route et vie tribale – tout en préservant son écologie unique. Une visite au centre d'accueil Oasis, situé juste le long du sentier Tamiami, est l'introduction parfaite à la réserve. Les clients peuvent voir des expositions éducatives sur la faune, l'hydrologie et l'histoire culturelle du marais, discuter avec les rangers et profiter de vues rapprochées des alligators qui soleillent dans le canal juste à l'extérieur. C'est un point de lancement idéal pour une exploration plus approfondie de cette nature subtropicale, que ce soit en promenade, en voiture panoramique ou en écotour guidé.
Island Cafe à Everglades City propose un menu de déjeuner gratuit et satisfaisant avec des saveurs locales et des plats classiques. Vous pourrez déguster des huîtres frites, parfaitement croustillantes et pleines de saveurs côtières, ou savourer un filet Mahi grillé tendre et feuilleté. Pour quelque chose de copieux et familier, le poulet grillé et les burgers juteux sont toujours un succès. Ceux qui ont envie de saveurs audacieuses peuvent creuser dans des tacos de porc BBQ ou des quesadillas au fromage, servis chauds et chargés de saveur. Les plats plus légers comprennent une variété d'enveloppements de légumes et de salades fraîches, parfaits pour les clients à la recherche d'une option végétale ou rafraîchissante. Que vous soyez d'humeur pour les fruits de mer, la nourriture réconfortante ou quelque chose de vert, Island Cafe vous le sert avec le sourire – entièrement gratuit en tournée!
Une visite au magasin historique Smallwood à Chokoloskee ajoute une profondeur culturelle riche à votre aventure. Perché sur pilotis au-dessus du bord des Dix Mille Îles, ce comptoir préservé de 1906 offre un aperçu fascinant de la vie frontalière dans les Everglades de Floride. Les clients peuvent explorer des artefacts, des outils et des histoires des premiers colons, des Gladesmen et des tribus séminoles et miccosukees qui faisaient autrefois commerce de marchandises ici. Le musée est imprégné de légendes, y compris les histoires du célèbre hors-la-loi Ed Watson et l'isolement brutal qui a façonné la région. Visiter le Smallwood Store, c’est comme remonter le temps, les clients à la recherche d’histoire, de mystère et d’une connexion plus profonde avec les habitants des Everglades. C'est une chance rare de voir le côté humain du marais, et une expérience de compagnon puissant de la faune et de l'écologie mis en valeur lors du safari.
Profitez d'une excursion inoubliable de 60 minutes en bateau au cœur du parc national des Everglades, au départ de la baie de Chokoloskee. Glissez à travers un dédale de forêts de mangroves et d'estuaires côtiers dans les Dix Mille Îles, où la terre et la mer se brouillent dans un superbe étalage de beauté naturelle. Votre capitaine, un expert local, partage des idées fascinantes sur l’écologie unique des Everglades et la riche histoire de la région. Gardez les yeux ouverts pour les grands dauphins de l'Atlantique, les lamantins, les requins et une variété d'oiseaux côtiers comme les balbuzards, les hérons et les spatules de rose. Cette balade paisible à travers les arrière-eaux reculées de la Floride offre des rencontres étroites avec la faune et une appréciation plus profonde de l’un des écosystèmes les plus diversifiés d’Amérique du Nord – un moment fort serein mais palpitant de l’aventure de la journée.
Points forts
Ce qui est inclus
Avis des voyageurs
Informations importantes
- Accès pour les personnes à mobilité réduite
- Transports en commun disponibles à proximité
- Déconseillé aux voyageurs avec des problèmes à la colonne vertébrale
- Déconseillé aux voyageurs avec des problèmes cardiovasculaires
- Condition physique moyenne requise
- L'âge minimum est de 6 ans
- Chapeau, écran solaire et lunettes de soleil sont recommandés
Avis(505)
Julio was a fantastic guide for the day and a great driver. He told us about the history, and ecology of the Everglades and he had an eagle eye for spotting wildlife. We saw a croc, gators, dolphins, spoonbills, etc on a hot August day (technically the off-season).
That's a pretty good Who's Who for August. I'm glad you enjoyed your day and the time spent with Julio. He always does a great job! Thanks for the 5-star review!
Mark our guide made our time a very informative trip. He is truly passionate about his job and the Florida environment.
Technically, Marjory Stoneman Douglass named it the "River of Grass" that flows from Lake O to the mangrove forests but it does look like a sea! Glad you enjoyed Marc's expertise. We are lucky to have him as a guide.
This tour was fantastic, from beginning to end. Our tour guide and driver, Reza, had an expansive knowledge of the Everglades and Florida in general. He knew about every bird we saw and was quick to spot them! He had detailed facts about all the species found there. He told us so much about the history, geography, and geology! You could tell he was passionate about the Everglades! We got to take take an airboat ride in a canal, spotting otters, fish, birds, turtles, and of course alligators! We took a most beautiful hike, not too long, and found amazing plant life, including air plants and cypress trees! We happened along a pond with 2 alligators! We had a stop at a the Big Cypress National Preserve museum and learned about Seminoles wrestling with alligators, starting around the turn of the 20th century to earn $ from tourists! Lunch was great in Everglade City, and we loved the mini museum, the Smallwood store. We also stopped at a small art gallery on the way. We bought a few nice souvenirs! To round out the the busy day we took a boat ride out from the Smallwood store through the 10,000 islands area! We were incredibly lucky to see many dolphins, frolicking in the wake and swimming around our boat! We loved the entire day!! High Recommended!!
Thank you for such a wonderful review! It sounds like Reza and the wildlife really showed off for you. One of the things we love most about the Everglades is that no two days are ever the same, but dolphins playing around the boat, otters, alligators, and a pond full of wildlife is about as good as it gets. We're glad you enjoyed the mix of nature, history, local culture, and a few quirky Old Florida stops along the way. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Reza. His passion for the Everglades is contagious, and we're fortunate to have him on our team. Thanks again for spending the day with us and for the enthusiastic recommendation.
We were expecting an amazing adventure but regretted a waste of a day. Pick up and drop off at the rear of a shopping mall car park - not vey safe and on our return we were approached by drunks asking for money as we walked to the front of the mall to get an Uber. Why not meet opposite by Starbucks .. The mini bus was ok and guide , for the price expected more comfort though. Long drive which was fine and first stop airboat ride, which we were looking forward to , but due to water levels most of this was along a canal next to the highway with limited time actually in the glades. You should inform customer that due to water levels, experience would be impacted and offer them the right to cancel free of charge. The airboat, driver could hardly speak English, and find it insulting that pinned to the back of the seats ‘ driver works for tips’- no he works for the company that employs him and is there to offer a service to their customers who book and pay!!! Miccosukee Indian village, we were expecting to be able to purchase original arts and crafts not a store selling mass produced tat, completely miss-led by this description, and see something more cultural and local? Stopped at a gallery- museum , basically looking at photographs. Stopped at the smallest post office in the US- a shed with a-man sitting inside - why. Quite sad really and he was proud to be going into national geographic! Walk through the reserve, via a well trodden trail littered with plastic and rubbish in most part. “Delicious lunch” was offered- wow- absolutely awful which most of us left including the guide, heavily fired chips, embarrassing ‘ salad’, overcooked fish all served with plenty of single use plastic ( so much for the eco tour ) next to crabbing boats where the local find it acceptable to catch large crabs, pull off one claw and throw them back where it grows back- we were all shocked but assured by the guide doesn’t hurt the crab!!!! Smallwood store, old shop full of junk and a few overpriced tourist gifts ( most made in South America!) Mangrove wilderness boat cruise, only memorable part of the day, great captain, incredible trip with numerous dolphins spotted and following the boat - but again another sign posted to the back of the seat- don’t forget to tip the captain! In Europe you tip naturally for good service voluntary, not by being asked to, perhaps pay your employees more! Very disappointing day, would not recommend and completely oversold as an experience from the description.
We’re sorry the experience did not align with your expectations. Our Miami pickup location at the Galleria Mall Tesla Supercharging Station is a well-known, easy-to-find meeting point that has worked smoothly and safely for thousands of guests over the years. The Everglades is currently experiencing severe drought conditions, which have limited airboat access into shallow marsh areas throughout South Florida. During these periods, wildlife—including alligators—concentrates in the deeper canals, which is why those routes are used. We would also like to clarify that our Miccosukee airboat captains are local tribal members who often speak both Miccosukee and English. We are proud to partner with them and appreciate the cultural authenticity they bring to the experience. Stops such as the United States’s Smallest Post Office and Smallwood Store are long-standing regional landmarks that many visitors enjoy for their unique local history and connection to Old Florida. Smallwood Store in particular is a historic trading post museum featuring artifacts and exhibits from over a century of Everglades history, along with locally made items and Seminole crafts. Regarding stone crabs, Florida’s fishery is carefully regulated and widely recognized as sustainable. The crabs are returned alive to the water, where they regenerate their claws naturally. We are glad to hear you enjoyed the mangrove boat cruise and dolphin sightings, and we appreciate your comments. We understand that not every tour style is the right fit for every traveler, but we thank you for visiting the Everglades with us.
Company had a van in service- so they packed two tours- originating from both Fort Lauderdale and Miami into one van. We had an hour of pick ups before the tour even started. We would’ve rescheduled or canceled had been given the opportunity. Inappropriate to smash 14 people in this van, and no one was allowed to sit in the front seat either. We were in the back row with their knees up on wheelwells and couldn’t move. Let alone see out the one side window- there is an hour long stop and go pull off the shoulder tour, which was very unexpected and being in the back with 14 people it made us carsick. Second. We expected more walking and hiking. Not “look out the window narration” with stop and go along the shoulder of a highway. We couldn’t wait for this part of the tour to be over. All we saw was people’s yards and roof lines and fences. We saw nothing that was being shown in the ditch. On a normal day with half the people this would’ve been more acceptable the paid part of the tours, including the lunch and air boat and boat ride were great.. would suggest based on our circumstances to just organize those on your own if you run into a full tour- so unusual circumstances kind of ruined the day.
Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry the van felt too crowded and that the front seat was not made available when it should have been. With 13 passengers, that seat should have been open, and that is on us. Because one of our vans was in service, we combined pickups from both Fort Lauderdale and Miami that day. We did let guests know the tour would return a bit later than usual, but I understand that did not address the discomfort of the extended pickup period. Regarding the wildlife portion, drought conditions have concentrated much of the wildlife in the canals, so that is where our guides go in order to give guests the best chance of seeing animals. Under more comfortable circumstances, that part of the day is often well received, but I understand why it was not enjoyable from the back row. I do appreciate your kind words about lunch, the airboat, and the boat ride. Your comments are fair, and we will use them to do better.
The guide was so knowledgeable and fantastic. We took the time we needed. He was always checking in with us and making sure we were ok. He did his best to educate us and had all the opportunities to see the wildlife in Everglades. He went above and beyond.
We have a great roster of biologists that make the amazing day even better. thanks for the 5-star feedback!
The air boat was restricted to the canals alongside the highway because the Everglades is in a two year drought and you can’t get into them off of the canals because there is no water depth available. The nature hike is off the side of the highway. It does get into some older growth trees. It’s a minimal hike. The thing that made the trip worth it was the extensive knowledge that Julio had and shared along the way during the trip.
Thank you for your review and for sharing your experience. You’re absolutely right that current water levels have impacted where airboats can safely operate. During periods of low water, routes are limited to the deeper canals, which are actually where much of the wildlife tends to concentrate. Our nature walk is designed to be an accessible introduction to the habitat, with opportunities to see native vegetation and wildlife up close, even within a shorter distance. We’re especially glad to hear that Julio’s knowledge and interpretation made the experience worthwhile—he’s truly passionate about what he does, and we’ll be sure to share your kind words with him. We appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you back under different conditions in the future. 🌿
Mark was so knowledgeable & was amazing at spotting all the gators & birds for you to see. Loved the boat ride in Everglades City - we had dolphins playing in our wake. However, on the drive, those people on the right hand side of the van got to see but on the left side was nearly impossible.
Superb day trip to The Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve Tour guide Mark was exceptionally knowledgeable about the wildlife whose neighborhood we shared for the day 220 miles in total We enjoyed several water rides including a great stiff ride on the Gulf of Mexico
I was very disappointed by this tour. The first five stops of the tour were right on the highway. The airboat also went parallel to the highway. To be fair, that was because of the unusually low water levels. But then I'd still expected to be able to veer off the highway somewhere else during the day. The "nature walk" was also parallel to the highway. There must be better places for a walk in the Everglades??? The last cruise of the day did go out on the water further, but that was literally the last stop of the day, after being on the highway the whole day. I do want to point out that our guide was extremely kind and knowledgable about the region, so he made it interesting. But if you're flying from across the world to see the Everglades, you want to at least get the chance to go into the wetlands or some kind of nature a little further than 10 feet from the car.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Wildlife viewing in the Everglades changes with seasonal water levels, and this winter we are experiencing unusually low water due to drought conditions. When water levels drop, wildlife such as alligators and wading birds concentrate in canals where fish are easier to catch. Because our focus is always wildlife viewing, we take guests where the animals are most active at that time rather than following a fixed route. The canal areas you mention are currently some of the most productive wildlife viewing locations in Big Cypress National Preserve, which is why birds are feeding and nesting there and why alligators are basking along the banks. These conditions often create excellent opportunities to observe wildlife up close. Our nature walk takes place at a boardwalk site in the heart of Big Cypress National Preserve that allows guests to safely explore the swamp environment and learn about the ecosystem. Later in the day, our boat cruise travels into the Ten Thousand Islands region of Everglades National Park — one of the most remote wilderness areas in Florida. I’m glad to hear you found your guide kind and knowledgeable. Our guides work very hard to help guests understand the ecology of the Everglades and make the most of the wildlife conditions each day. While seasonal water levels can affect where wildlife is found, our goal is always to give guests the best possible opportunity to experience the Everglades and its wildlife.
